Blackhawks F Stalberg skates outside of 4 lines

CHICAGO (AP) — Viktor Stalberg knows why he might not get to play when the Chicago Blackhawks host the Boston Bruins in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup finals on Wednesday night.

Charles Rex Arbogast

Chicago Blackhawks head coach Joel Quenneville, left, talks to his players at the end of NHL hockey practice, Tuesday, June 11, 2013 in Chicago. The Blackhawks host the Boston Bruins in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup finals on Wednesday. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Chicago Blackhawks head coach Joel Quenneville, left, talks to his players at the end of NHL hockey practice, Tuesday, June 11, 2013 in Chicago. The Blackhawks host the Boston Bruins in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup finals on Wednesday. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

FILE - In this June 11, 2013 file photo, Chicago Blackhawks left wing Viktor Stalberg, of Sweden, responds to a question during a news conference before Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final hockey series against the Boston Bruins in Chicago. Less than two weeks after winning a Stanley Cup with the Blackhawks, Stalberg is ready to boost a Nashville Predators team that finished 14th out of 15 teams in the Western Conference. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast, File)

Reporters use their cellular phone cameras to record Chicago Blackhawks left wing Viktor Stalberg during an NHL hockey news conference ahead of the Stanley Cup Final series between the Chicago Blackhawks and the Bruins on Tuesday, June 11, 2013 in Chicago. The Blackhawks are scheduled to face the Bruins in Game 1 on Wednesday in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Stalberg skated outside the top four lines when Chicago practiced at the United Center on Tuesday, and coach Joel Quenneville also broke up the combination of Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane that worked so well at the end of the Western Conference finals.

It looks as if Brandon Bollig will get Stalberg's spot in the lineup for at least Game 1. Bollig, listed at 6-foot-2, 223 pounds, brings a more sizeable presence against the physical Bruins compared to the 6-3, 209-pound Stalberg, who is more of a speed player.

"We'll see," Quenneville said. "Right now it's just practice today, but there's a likelihood or probability that it could happen."

It's the latest twist in a difficult postseason for Stalberg, who had nine goals and 14 assists in the regular season. He was benched for the first two nights of the second-round series against Detroit, but he returned to help the Blackhawks make up a 3-1 deficit and eliminate the Red Wings in seven games.

"You're disappointed and you're frustrated, but you take if for what it is and you try to regroup and try to do everything you can to get back in the lineup," Stalberg said. "I'll try to approach it as well as I can."

Stalberg, who has no goals and three assists in the playoffs, said he talked to Quenneville about the possibility he would be out for opener against Boston.

"I don't want to get into what was said in that, but I think he just wanted a tougher lineup against them for the first game and we'll take it from there," Stalberg said. "That's how it is now."

Toews and Kane, two of Chicago's biggest stars, played on the same line for the last part of the previous series against Los Angeles. Kane responded with three goals in the clinching Game 5, including the winner in the second overtime off a pass from Toews.

"Bottom line is you're ready to play no matter who you're with," Toews said, "and you're going to go out there and create offense, keep their guys off the score sheet, whoever you happen to be up against. That's all you should focus on."

Toews was flanked by Patrick Sharp and Marian Hossa during Tuesday's practice, while Kane was alongside Michal Handzus and Bryan Bickell.

Toews and Kane tied for the team lead with 23 goals apiece during the regular season, and splitting the stars would give Quenneville more scoring balance on his lines. Toews has one goal and eight assists in the playoffs, while Kane also has eight assists to go along with six goals, including four in the last two games.

"It's balance and something we'll look at," Quenneville said. "Sometimes that can evolve over the course of a series."